Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a system and method for monitoring an electrical connection of a connector and, more particularly, to a system and method for monitoring the electrical connections of a multi-terminal electrical connector by reducing the length of one of the male terminals in the connector to determine when the connector is becoming loose and/or becomes corroded.
Discussion of the Related Art
Various systems, such as vehicles, aircraft, marine vessels, building wiring, computers, electronics, robots, etc., often include many wires, connectors, terminals, electrical harnesses, etc. that provide an electrical signal path for various systems, sub-systems, controllers, sensors, actuators, etc. For example, the electrical systems in a vehicle typically include a number of multi-terminal connectors that simultaneously connect a number of wires. In one multi-connector design, wires are electrically connected using gender specific male and female terminals. The male terminals are inserted into the female terminals when the terminal housings are joined to make the electrical connections between the wires. Typically, the male terminal is held within the female terminal by a spring clip, which provides tension to assure electrical contact. The connector housing provides a secure terminal-to-terminal contact through various locking designs.
For the above described connectors, the male terminal is held within the female terminal under a certain amount of tension or friction with enough force to make the electrical connection, but also allow the terminal housings to be manually separated. Further, the male terminal is inserted into the female terminal a distance so that the male terminal and the female terminal make electrical contact along some defined length of the terminals. As a result of vehicle vibration and the like, the male terminal sometimes separates from the female terminal, where the terminal housings become separated. Once the male terminal is removed from the female terminal a certain amount, the terminal housings are disconnected and electrical connection between the male terminal and the female terminal is lost. Further, as a result of wet driving conditions, the male terminal and/or the female terminal may corrode, where the electrical resistance between the male terminal and the female terminal increases as a result of the corrosion and eventually may become electrically disconnected as a result of too high of a resistance.
Various tools and approaches are known in the art to detect and localize the electrical disconnection of a vehicle connector. These tools and approaches include systems that employ Sital Tool™, PSpice™, spread-spectrum, time-domain reflectometry (SSTDR), frequency-domain transmissometry/time-domain transmissometry (FDT/TDT) and resistance, inductance and capacitance (RLC) monitoring. However, all of these known approaches are only able to determine when the electrical connection between the two terminals is lost, and are unable to determine when the connection is becoming loose, where the male terminal and the female terminal are still making electrical contact.
What is needed in the art is a prognosis technique for determining when the electrical connection between a male terminal and a female terminal in a connector is being reduced as a result of a loose connection or corrosion before the electrical connection is completely lost so that remedial steps can be taken.